EAU strengthens ties across borders
The EAU’s engagement with the European Union (EU), new projects of the different EAU Offices and the announcement of newly elected officers topped the agenda of the annual General Assembly held today.
EAU Members
As of March 2017, there are a total of 15,409 EAU members, the majority of whom are active members that make up 7,397; junior members with 3,608; active international members with 2,441 and junior international members with 531.
New appointments
New roles were announced during the meeting. Prof. Jens Sønksen (DK) was elected as the new EAU Adjunct Secretary General – Clinical Practice with 92% vote. He said: “My plans include strengthening urological practice in Europe through expansion of the clinical update meetings; continued work with dissemination and evolution of the EAU; the clinical guidelines and growth of our online profile; and through the EAU Junior Ambassadors.”
Other appointments included Prof. Anders Bjartell (SE), a member of the Guidelines Office Board who took on the role of the EAU Research Foundation Chairman, succeeding Prof. Peter Mulders (NL). Assoc. Prof. Christian Gratzke (DE), Associate Editor of European Urology and member of the EAU Guidelines panel on BPH/male LUTS is the new Editor-in-Chief of European Urology Focus. Prof. Alberto Briganti (IT), member of the Scientific Congress Office and the EAU Guidelines Office Board, is the Editor-in-Chief of the new publication European Urology Oncology.
EU engagement
The EAU cited stronger links with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and other advisory tasks it has fulfilled with its partners. EAU Secretary General Prof. Chris Chapple (GB) said the EAU raises not only its own profile but also that of urology, as well as, continue to build relationships by providing scientific advice to MEPs and the European Commission through the EAU white paper on Prostate Cancer and the strategic relationship with the EU Joint Action on Cancer Control (CANCON) and MEPs Against Cancer (MAC).
In terms of influencing EU legislation and policies that impact urologists, the EAU provides scientific advice on EU Medical devices legislation to MEPs through the workshop in the European Parliament.
Funding opportunities for EAU research and training programmes include, amonst many others, Horizon 2020, an EU research and innovation programme; the Innovation Medicines Initiative 2 (IMI 2) call on big data for prostate cancer; the EU Health Programme on rare disease registries and potentially an awareness raising campaign on prostate cancer; ERASMUS, an EU programme for education and training.